Tu’er Shen
It’s always good to find stories that deal with homosexual love outside of an Eurocentric cultural framework. Most times I tend to find them much more compelling and more interesting. I live for love stories that involve men of different cultures and narratives that give a different view of how gay relationships work. After all, the world is not all, well, white.
That's why I'm publishing this story here today. Take for example the point of view of Asian men. Usually fetishized or rejected, there's no middle ground for them. For Asian men, the role is either one of a sex toy for 'rice queens' or total invisibility in hookup apps for others who directly express a 'preference' that stinks of racism. So stories told from an Asian perspective, with Asian actors and directors, bring a much needed breath of fresh air to a form of art that revitalizes itself when it adds other perspectives and cultures to its storytelling.
Gay media in the United States tend to homogenize love stories and gay stories in particular and frame them in a very European, white male perspective. From what I've seen men of color usually tend to be either the sidekick in the story or fall victim of some kind of tokenism at some point within narratives that try to encompass the gay experience. That's why when I find stories that tell that other side of the 'tale' I feel I need to share them or link here those who have written about them, like this post by dear Delores. Or this one by Antinous, who have talked about Tu'er Shen before I did.
So go ahead and enjoy this short film. And remember, sometimes you WILL get what your little heart desires. Be prepared for it.
XOXO
Tu Er Shen, Xochipilli, Antinous, St. Sergious and Bacchus, Dionysius, these are but a few gods and saints we can claim as our own, ma chere! We have been robbed of those men who love men spirits and deities who bless us every day of our lives. Non! No more, I say. I reclaim them all and bless them as they bless me, mon dieu!
ReplyDeletePerhaps it is my age, but the way the film was shot, was a hard sell for me.
ReplyDeleteOne of you guys should post about the story in India, where one of the gods becomes a woman so that he marries and sleeps with a warrior who will doe the next day protecting something something, sorry I forgot. Anyway it's a day celebrated by transgendered people in India. I was amazed by it.
ReplyDeleteThis was nice, the only problem I had was with the dyed red hair... I thought it looked too much like a wig. Also, and this might be nit picking, but at the Chinese Restaurant / Buffet I go to they speak perfect English, but they write your order down in Chinese.
ReplyDelete@conde: we have indeed been robbed! We do have some mainstay characters but we do need more.
ReplyDelete@jimmy: how come? Jumpy? Too many close ups? It may be a music video thing.
@steven: ohhh yes! I was doing once a collection of Hindu illustrations for a Kama Sutra for men on tumblr. That’s when they got all puritanical.
@dave: I thought it went with the character. The Rabbit God actually has a red bonnet/hat. And I think it depends if the servers are first or second generation. Sometimes they speak it but don’t write the language.
XoXo